Broccoli and Pasta Bake

Submitted by Kittencalrecipezazz

"Broccoli and cheese, a great combination. You can prepare this dish ahead of time and bake it later. An excellent tasting pasta dish. Enjoy! (Prep time does not include cooking the pasta)"

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 6-7

ingredients

• 8 ounces large spiral shaped pasta
• 1⁄3 cup butter
• 1⁄3 cup flour
• 3 cups milk or 3 cups half-and-half
• 3⁄4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄8 teaspoon thyme
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• fresh broccoli, cut into small floweretts any amount
• fresh mushrooms, sliced, any amount desired
• grated swiss cheese or cheddar cheese, to cover top of casserole

directions

1. Note: drain broccoli and mushrooms very well.
2. Steam broccoli until tender-firm.
3. Slice mushrooms, set aside.
4. Cook pasta until tender-firm, drain well.
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, melt butter in microwave; mix in flour, stir in milk. Heat in microwave pausing to stir occasionally until mixture boils and thickens.
6. Add parmesan cheese, salt, garlic, nutmeg, thyme and cheddar cheese; stir.
7. Return drained pasta to a large pot, add cheese mixture, cooked broccoli and mushrooms; mix well.
8. Pour into greased 9x13 casserole dish.
9. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
10. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
11. Note: if refrigerated before baking, bake 5-10 minutes longer.

Reviews

[Mymble]

Really delicious - more delicious than it looked or than I expected. Everything really worked together. I used one portabello cap for the mushrooms, and 1% milk. I sliced in some pre-cooked italian-style chicken sausage, but it really didn't add anything. I think I might try making it with tuna another time (just to round it out - not because it needs it). I also might try making the white sauce on the stovetop, rather than having to pop the bowl in and out of the microwave. Thanks for posting this! There were no leftovers.

 

[Sackville]

I took a few liberties with this recipe, but I'm still giving it five stars because the sauce in particular worked better for me than other pasta and cheese recipes I've tried. First, you should know that I did not use mushrooms but I did add in some chilli peppers and I used penne pasta instead of spiral. I also left the cheese off the top. But I made the sauce exactly as directed and it was wonderful! The thyme is a great addition I wouldn't have thought of and I particularly liked the parmesan cheese in the sauce, not just on top as in other dishes. Also, there was plenty of sauce to cover the pasta. Sometimes dishes like this can be quite dry, but that wasn't the case here. Thanks for a great recipe that's easy to adjust to what you like and what's on hand.

 

[zaar junkie]

This recipe was easy to put together. I used soymilk in place of regular/half and half and used mini-lasagna pasta for spirals, but followed the recipe otherwise. I thought it was good, but maybe a little bland, my boyfriend loved the subtleness of it. When made again, I'll probably add black pepper or maybe even a little cayenne. Thanks for posting.

 

[arbed878]

I was out of broccoli and mushrooms so I substitued green peppers and a vidalia onion. I cooked the peppers and onion halfway before mixing in with pasta and sauce. I also mixed in baby spinach leaves and cherry tomatoes (for color). I must admit, it tasted way better than it looked. I love the flexibility of the recipe. It's a keeper!

 

[anme7039]

I had a bunch of broccoli left over from a past dinner as well as cooked pasta and this recipe was a great way to use them up! Other than using skim milk and moz. cheese instead of chedder I stuck to the recipe with great results. I cooked this for about 18 minutes then I broiled it at the end to make the top nice and crispy. Very good recipe!